Automated crusher setting



y 9 J. A. GIESCHEN ETAL 3,328,888

AUTOMATED CRUSHER SETTING Filed March 5', 1964 sh t s 1 July 4, 1967 J. A. GIESCHEN ETAL AUTOMATED CRUSHER SETTING Filed March 9,

3 Sheet$Sheet 2 z/ram zm ly 4, 196 J. A. GIESCHEN ETAL 3,323,

AUTOMATED CRUSHER SETT ING Filed March 9, 1964 3 Sheets5heet 5 United States Patent 3,328,888 AUTOMATED CRUSHER SETTING John A. Gieschen, West Allis, Richard W. Parker, Germantown, and Bernard L. Habermauu, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,486 Claims. (Cl. 33125) This invention relates to improvements in remote position indication.

One purpose is to provide a remote position indicator for hydraulically or pneumatically operated supports for example, piston supports for gyratory crusher heads.

Another purpose is to provide generally for remote position indication for the head of crushers, including but'not limited to crushers with gyrated heads.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide means for indicating the relative position of one or more of a pair of members, the separation between which it is desired to ascertain.

Another purpose is to provide improvement in indicating methods or devices for determining the wear of Wearing parts. A specific purpose is to provide an indicating means and method for determining wear in the wearing parts of gyratory and cone crushers and the like.

Another purpose is to provide a means and method for determining the relative movements of a movable element, which means includes an adjustable gauge.

Another purpose is to provide an indicating and operating means for determining the location of a wearing part which includes a liquid system and indicating means operable with or by the liquid system.

Another purpose is to provide an. operating means for raising a moving element by engaging the element in any of its moved positions by a raising means which securely forms a seat therewith.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a vertical axial section, with parts in elevation, illustrating the application of the invention to a so-called gyratory cone crusher;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view illustrating the application of the invention to a gyratory crusher in which the head and the crusher shaft are supported on a fluid supported piston; and

FIGURE 3 is a similar view illustrating the application of the invention with an alternative hydraulic control system and means to form a seat with a crusher head stopped in any position.

Like parts are indicated by like drawings throughout the specification and claims.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 it illustrates generally a cone crusher in which a crushing cavity X is defined between a normally fixed bowl A and a normally gyrated head B. 1 generally indicates the circumferentially extending frame of the crusher, the frame terminating at its upper edge with a flange 2 having an inner conic surface 3. Normally seated on this conic surface is a bowl supporting ring 4 which is inwardly screw threaded as at 4a. 5 generally indicates the bowl structure which is outwardly screw threaded as at 5a. Since the threads 4a and 5a mesh, it is to be understood that if the bowl structure 5 is bodily rotated within the ring 4, it will be raised or lowered, depending upon the direction of rotation, in relation to the frame 1 and the head B. The details of the rotating means do not of themselves form part of the present invention. For example, thrust jacks may be employed or cables or some other suitable mechanism. The

is important that the operator be able to readily defermine the actual space separating head from bowl, and thus the extent of wear in use.

In the structure as shown in FIGURE 1 the head B is provided with a depending downwardly tapering shaft 8 which extends into an appropriately formed eccentric aperture 10 in the sleeve 9. The sleeve 9 is rotatably mounted within a fixed sleeve 11 which forms part of or is secured to the crusher frame and its circumferential frame element 1. The further details of the crusher and frame do not of themselves form part of the present invention. However, a gear 12 is illustrated which is unitary with the rotatable sleeve 9. Meshing with it is a pinion 14 on the shaft 13. It will be understood that the shaft 13 is rotated by any suitable means not herein shown, from any suitable power source. As it rotates, it rotates the sleeve 9 and thereby imparts gyration to the crusher shaft 8 and thus to the crusher head B. The parts are formed and proportioned to gyrate the crusher head about the center Y. Any suitable means such as the spring assemblies 15 serve to hold the bowl supporting ring 4 normally downwardly against the frame flange 2.

In the form of FIGURE 1 a hydraulic system is provided for determining the clearance between the opposite members 6 and 7. It will be understood that this system is not operated during rotation of the sleeve 9 or gyration of the head B. However, a jack structure is provided including the cylinder 20 in which is a piston having an outwardly extending plunger 21. Normally the plunger or thrust member 21 is in the position in which it is shown in FIGURE 1 and is beneath and out of contact with the crusher shaft 8. However, it is so positioned that is always underlies some part of that crusher shaft. The cylinder 20 is shown as suitably secured to a lower closure cap 22 of the frame through means which may include a flange 23 and bolts 24. Suitable sealing means may be employed but are not indicated.

Referring to the indicator structure proper, as shown at the bottom of FIGURE 1, it will be understood that the interior of the cylinder 20 is connected by a duct 25 to the system of passages generally indicated as z. By supplying fluid pressure therethrough to the interior of the cylinder 20, the piston 21 may be forced upwardly against the bottom of the shaft 8. When sufficient pressure is applied, the jack assembly 20, 21 lifts the shaft 8, and with it the head until the members 6 and 7 contact. By ascertaining the degree of lift before contact, the separation between members 6 and 7 may then be determined. The fluid circuit shown at the bottom of FIGURE 1 is effective to lift the shaft and head to indicate the lift. Thus it indicates the initial tween 6 and 7.

In effect, two pumping circuits are shown or, rather a pumping circuit with alternative intermediate connections; The duct 25 extends from the liquid reservoir 26 to the hydraulic jack 20, 21, the jack plunger 21 being normally in the inoperative or non-contacting position in which it is shown in FIGURE 1. To determine pressure conditions in the system, a pressure gauge is diagramseparation bematically indicated at C. In order to vary or increase the pressure within the system thus formed, a pump 28 is shown more or less diagrammatically as including a piston 29 and a manually operating lever or handle 30. Whereas 'a manual pump is illustrated, any other suitable pump means my be employed. Illustrated also is a riser arm 31 extending upwardly from the oil reservoir 26. It is preferably so arranged and constructed as to provide a columnar duct which may be, at least in part, transparent, so that an observer can see the height of the oil or liquid within the riser arm 31. Along it is positioned a calibrated element 32, shown as slotted, as at 33, with securing thumbscrews 34. Any other suitable supporting means may be provided, it being understood that any suitable calibration may be employed. As will later appear, it is important that the operator may be able to zero the calibrated element 32 at any desired time or at any desired liquid level.

In the diagrammatical liquid circuit therein shown the bottom connections or branches 25a are parallel with the top branches or connections 25b. Appropriate shut-off valves 25c and 25d are provided so that the user can shut one fluid connection when the other is open. Each branch is also provided with a check valve such that, assuming that the lower branches 25a are closed and the upper branches 25b are open, and the pump handle 30 is operated, pressure is built up in the system above and to the left of valve 25c in FIG. 1 and will, at the same time, elevate the jack plunger 21 into contact with the lower end of the crusher shaft 8, and lower the level of visible liquid in the branch 31. When the progressive increase of pressure in the system is effective to bring the jack member 21 into contact with the bottom of the crusher shaft 8 there is then a sharp increase in the pressure within the system, which can be determined by watching the pressure gauge C. This indicates to the user that the jack is beginning its lifting excursion of the crusher shaft 8, and thus of the crusher head and of the wearing part or mantle 7 on the crusher head. The operator then zeroes in the adjustable scale or calibrating element 32 to whatever position he wishes. It might, for example, carry a zero as shown, and that zero may indicate the level of the liquid column top in 31 when the pump operating lever or handle 30 begins the elevation of the crusher shaft 3. In other words, when enough oil has been pumped to urge the jack, shown as a button jack when it first contacts the shaft bottom. The continued sets his adjustable scale to check the position of the jack when i first contacts the shaft bottom. The continued pumping operation elevates the jack and the shaft 8 until the mantle 7 engages the bowl liner 6. Then, immediately, a termendous increase in pressure appears on the gauge C. The operator then stops his pumping and reads from the adjustable scale or calibrating element 32 when the liquid stops moving. If it is calibrated in inches, as it may be, it tells him that between the beginning of the lift of the crusher shaft 8 by the jack until the contact of the liner and mantle a total lift of X inches has taken place. The scale can be calibrated in inches or in any other desired unit, to show at a glance the actual distance or travel of the head which terminates in actual contact of the mantle 7 with the bowl liner 6.

The operator, having acquired the information he wishes, can release the jack element 21 and return it to the initial position in which it is shown in FIGURE 1. He can do this for example, by closing the valves 25d and opening the valves 250. The fluid, under the weight of the crusher shaft 8, flows through the indicated valving to the oil reservoir 26 and the liquid in the branch 31 returns to its original position.

The particular circuit disclosed can be applied to indicate the position of other members in a hydraulic system. It may, for example, be used to indicate the position of the lifting cylinder or cylinders in a gyratory crusher. It may also be applied to still other pieces of 4 equipment. However, a similar application is illustrated in FIGURE 2, to the lifting cylinder and piston which may be employed to support the crushing shaft of a big gyratory crusher. It will be understood that in such gyratories, as shown in FIGURE 2, the head and mantle 50, at the to of the crusher shaft 51, are surrounded by the bowl liner 52 of the bowl 53. The details of crusher and frame are not herein indicated. It will be understood however, that upwardly thrusting against the bottom of the shaft 51 is a piston 60. It moves within a cylinder 61 which forms part of or is attached to the crusher frame, the space being closed at the bottom by a cylinder head 62. Extending downwardly through the cylinder head or closure plate 62 is what might be called an indicator piston 65 which extends into an indicator cylinder 66. Any suitable seals may be employed for instance, the O-ring seals 67. We will not go into detail as to the hydraulic system which may be employed to support or to raise the piston 60, and thus the crusher shaft 51. The bowl may be fixed in relation to the frame structure, and its liner or system of liners 52 define the outer circumference of a crushing cavity as will be clear from FIGURE 2.

The present invention relates to a supplemental fluid indicating system, which will now be described. A reservoir 70 contains oil or suitable fluid which may flow along a duct 71 past a suitable shut-off valve 72, to the indicator cylinder 66. Another branch of the system includes the duct 73 extending to the level gauge portion 74 with its adjustable scale 75. A suitable pump is shown at 76, an air bleeding passage is shown at 78 and a shut-off valve therefor at 79. Check valves such as 7111 are in the duct or passage 71.

The indicator piston 65 is shown as secured to and moving with the piston 60. As that piston moves upward in its supporting and adjusting relation to the shaft 51 the indicator piston 65 lifts with it. It is always within the cylinder 66, and in the normal use of the device its lower end never rises above the lowest of the O ring seals 67. The system is filled by fluid from the reservoir 70 until leakage is indicated at bleeding passage 78. At this point the passage is shut off, the liquid level in gauge 74 is zeroed and set against calibrating element 75.

As the main piston 60 rises, and the indicator piston '65 rises with it, it pulls the oil column with it, reducing the oil level in the level gauge glass portion 74. By proper calibration of the adjustable scale 75 the operator can immediately read how high the piston has been raised. Because of variations in temperature, and the possibility of leakage, it is important that the scale 75 be adjustable, as by thumb nuts 75a, so that, from time to time, it may be zeroed out against the lowest position of the piston. The shut-off valves permit drainage from the whole line 71, if that becomes necessary. The oil drained will then be filled back into the reservoir, and for any new operation the procedure of filling has to be repeated.

The system in FIGURE 2 can be used when the head is being either raised or lowered. For example, when the head is being raised, the drop of liquid in gauge 74 can be noted, from the time the head starts up until the mantle contacts the bowl liner. Or the head can be raised until the mantle contacts the bowl liner. At this point, the scale may be zeroed and, thereafter, as the head is lowered, the rise of liquid in the level can be noted. Either case will give a record of the travel of the head between normal crushing position and contact between the mantle and liner. When this is checked against the desired crusher setting, the difierence will indicate wear of the manganese wearing parts, which are generally spoken of in the field as manganese.

An alternative system for remotely indicating head position is shown in FIGURE 3. A pump 82 is started to build up fluid pressure in line 84. The relief valve 86 keeps the pressure build-up within prescribed limits.

After the pump has started, spool valve 88 is moved so line 84 is connected with line 90 above the valve to thereby permit the fluid to travel along line 92 into chamber 94 within cylinder 96. In the drawing, the spool valve would be moved all the way to the right to make the foregoing connection.

The fluid entering chamber 94 will raise piston 98 and the pressure of the fluid raising such piston will be indicated by a generally steady reading on gauge 100. This gauge may have an electrical transmitter Within it (not shown) which sends electric signals along lead 102 proportional to the pressure so that electrical indicator 104 records the reading in conventional pressure units.

When the piston contacts the head and starts to raise the head and shaft 142 the pressure in line 106 will cause the valve 108, controlled by hydraulic pressure, to move to the closed position, or to the right in FIG- URE 3. This will close line 110 leading to gauge 112.

When the head of the shaft makes contact with the bowl liner there will be a sudden great increase in pressure which will be indicated on gauge 100 or electrical indicator 104. At such time, the spool valve 88 will be moved by such pressure fully to the left so that line 90 is connected with line 114 and line 84 is connected with line 116 leading to reservoir 118. The fluid in chamber 94 will then move through line 92, through variable orifice 120, which controls the rate of descent of the piston, and into line 114 wherein it will pass through check valve 121 and into gauge 112. Check valve 121 is set to automatically close at a higher pressure than the pressure that operates valve 108. Thus when the head of the crusher seats in its socket its weight is partially if not totally relieved from piston 134, the resulting pressure drop in the system causes or allows valve 121 to close. Since the pressure that allows check valve 121 to close is above the pressure that will allow valve 108 to open, the system is immobilized. The fluid level in gauge 122 then shows the separation of the crushing faces of the wearing parts which, in turn, gives manganese wear which can be recorded automatically or manually. Then the operator centers valve 88 which relieves the pressure.

on valve 108 allowing it to open which drains the gauge 112.

Line 110 may be located in the gauge at the same level as the zero point on the graduated scale 122 to cause the fluid level to automatically stabilize at a true zero point ready for the next operating cycle. Air trapped in the gauge 112 by the check valve 132 will help evacuate the fluid. If additional air is required to establish a true zero level, it can enter through check valve 132 and breather 130.

Also, leads 124 from liquid level gauge 122 connect via member 124 to an indicator at 128.

We also show in FIGURE 3 modified features by which the piston raises the 134 has a rounded end 136 which is dimensioned and shaped to closely seat in a continuous or circular groove 138 in the bottom 140 of gyrating shaft 142. The rounded end of the piston rod will always engage the circular groove in the bottom of the gyrating shaft irrespective of the position of such shaft. The foregoing arrangement will lead to better engagement of the piston rod with the gyrating shaft for raising said shaft.

It will be realized that whereas a practical and operative device or assembly has been described and shown, and a practical method of its use, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape, number and disposition of parts, and in the orders and detail of steps employed without departing from the spirit of our invention. It is, therefore wished that the disclosure be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than as limiting to the precise showing herein.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

By employing a hydraulic system for, at the same time,

gyrating shaft. The piston rod moving an element and for determining the distance it is moved, we provide a simple and efficient means and method for determining changes in spacing between parts'which may not be accessible to visual observations. Thus, in connection with the observation of crushing elements where wear is a constant factor, the degree of wear may be determined by determining the distance a movable member must travel in order to contact an opposite member. The hydraulic circuits employed may be widely varied. It is particularly important to include in each hydraulic circuit a moving body of liquid and an adjustable calibrating means which may be applied to the liquid in order to determine the movement of the unseen parts, the location of which is to be indicated.

We claim:

1. The method of indicating distances between the opposed surfaces of wearing parts in crushers and the like which includes the step of maintaining the supporting portions of said two wearing parts in a predetermined spearated relationship, during their crushing function, providing a liquid detection circuit which is in force applying relationship to one of said wearing parts, and is operable to detect said relationship and to cause said one wearing part to move into contact with the second wearing part, a portion of the liquid in said detection circuit being observable and movable concurrently with movement of said one wearing part toward the second wearing part, displacing one of the wearing parts from said predetermined relationship by moving it into contact with the second wearing part, establishing a liquid position datum which coincides with the initiation of movement of the one wearing part toward the other, and deriving the distance between the first and second wearing parts from the movement of the movable portion of the liquid circuit which occurs from the initiation of movement of the first wearing part until its contact with the second wearing part.

2. The method of claim 1 characterized by and including the step of calibrating the observed movement of the liquid, whereby to measure precisely the relation of the movement of the liquid to the movement of the wearing part.

3. The method of indicating distances between the opposed surfaces of two wearing parts in crushers and the like which includes the step of maintaining the supporting portions of said wearing parts normally in separated relationship, maintaining pressure upon a substantially incompressible fluid in a closed fluid system and employing such maintained pressure to support one of the wearing parts in a predetermined separated position, and observing the rate of change of pressure to detect said predetermined position, and employing an application of pressure to the closed fluid system to move the first wearing part from its normal position into contact with the second wearing part, and, at the same time, moving some part of the fluid in a zone of observation relative to a linear indicator, and deriving the distance traveled by the first part from its initial position into contact with the second part,

from the observed movement of the fluid in the zone of observation, whereby to determine the distance separating the two parts at the initiation of the movement of the first wearing part, and whereby to determine the wear of the wearing parts.

4. The method of indicating distances between the opposed surfaces of wearing parts in crushers and the like, which includes the steps of applying pressure to a substantially incompressible fluid in a closed fluid system until a sharp increase in pressure occurs corresponding to the normal operating position of said first wearing part, said sharp increase in pressure thereby establishing a datum position of the incompressible fluid as indicated by a distance indicator, noting the datum position on the distance indicator, thereafter applying further pressure to the fluid system to begin and to continue movement of said first wearing part into contact with an opposed second wearing part and, at the same time, to move some part of the fiuid as indicated by said distance indicator, and noting the extent of movement of the fluid from the datum position at said distance indicator so as to determine the distance separating the Wearing parts at the initiation of movement of one of said moving parts relative to the other.

5. The method of claim 4 characterized by and including the step of zeroing distance indicator when said sharp increase in pressure occurs so as to permit immediate reading of the actual distance of movement of said first wearing part necessary to contact the second wearing part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Booth 33172 Many.

Coats.

Bryant 33-172 McCarty et al. 241213 Mertz 241-37 X Zimmerman 2412l3 X ROBERT B. HULL, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF INDICATING DISTANCES BETWEEN THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF WEARING PARTS IN CRUSHERS AND THE LIKE WHICH INCLUDES THE STEP OF MAINTAINING THE SUPPORTING PORTIONS OF SAID TWO WEARING PARTS IN A PREDETERMINED SPEARATED RELATIONSHIP, DURING THEIR CRUSHING FUNCTION, PROVIDING A LIQUID DETECTION CIRCUIT WHICH IS IN FORCE APPLYING RELATIONSHIP TO ONE OF SAID WEARING PARTS, AND IS OPERABLE TO DETECT SAID RELATIONSHIP AND TO CAUSE SAID ONE WEARING PART TO MOVE INTO CONTACT WITH THE SECOND WEARING PART, A PORTION OF THE LIQUID IN SAID DETECTION CIRCUIT BEING OBSERVABLE AND MOVABLE CONCURRENTLY WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE WEARING PART TOWARD THE SECOND WEARING PART, DISPLACING ONE OF THE WEARING PARTS FROM SAID PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP BY MOVING IT INTO CONTACT WITH THE SECOND WEARING PART, ESTABLISHING A LIQUID 